Florida black bears are in the process of recovering across the state, but new potential threats could threaten their future.

With your help, we can make sure that bears are protected across the state and that they survive and flourish for years to come. Please take action now.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is currently considering adopting a new black bear management plan. This plan offers a lot of positive steps to full black bear recovery, but has some sections that could harm Florida black bears.

The FWC is seeking comments on the draft bear management plan which includes habitat protection and public outreach.

A major part of the plan involves addressing the unique needs of the bear in different geographic regions of the state. Bear management units with citizen assistance committees (Black Bear Assistance Groups) will advise the FWC and help the public to understand how to live responsibly with black bear needs.

Recognizing the need for more public outreach and education will the public and bears alike. Establishing state and local programs will further help to keep bears out of neighborhoods so that there are fewer human-bear interactions.

Black bear management needs to be based on scientific studies and addressing public concerns but not eliminate bears because of human “social carrying capacity.”

Unfortunately, the scientific basis of the proposed plan is undermined by letting the public’s tolerance for bears and the number of bear conflict reports drive the FWC decision on how many bears there should be in the state.

A grave concern with the proposal is that it also opens the door for black bear hunting. The Florida black bear is still recovering across the state, and acts as an important umbrella species whose protection benefits numerous other species. Hunting, does not solve human-bear conflicts, but threatens the future of bears across the state.

With your help we can protect Florida black bears and wildlife across the state.

For the wild ones,

Laurie Macdonald
Florida Director
Defenders of Wildlife

Over the last several weeks, Defenders of Wildlife’s Florida office has been working for improvements in search and recovery operations to impacted by the disastrous Gulf oil spill. We’ve worked to ensure that accurate, up-to-date information is reported from the Gulf and hosted clean-ups with our partners on beaches around Tampa Bay to prepare in case oil reaches our shores.

Today, I need your help to prevent another offshore oil disaster, one that could be right off our Florida shoreline. Please use the information below to contact your Florida state senator and state representative and tell them to put a constitutional amendment banning drilling in Florida waters on the November ballot:

Your State Representative Debbie Mayfield – (850) 488-0952 or (772) 778-5077

Florida House of Representatives Switchboard: (850) 488-1157

Your State Senator Mike Haridopolos – (850) 487-5056 or (321) 752-3131

 Find Contact Information fort Your State Senator

You can make a big difference today! Just deliver this simple message:

My name is XXXXX and I’m calling from Vero Beach because I’m deeply concerned about the effects of offshore drilling on Florida’s wildlife, communities and tourist economy. During the special legislative session next week, I urge you to support a constitutional amendment banning drilling in Florida waters on the November ballot. Because offshore drilling poses such a significant threat to marine wildlife, the environment, fisheries, tourism, and enjoyment value of our coasts, it is critical for Florida to make the prohibition against drilling ironclad, and Floridians should have the right to vote on this very important decision.

Please report your call. Our advocates in the state capitol will be tracking the opposition to offshore drilling closely and following up with state representatives and senators to ensure that your voice is heard. Having seen firsthand the magnitude of the damage from the BP Gulf oil disaster, Governor Charlie Crist has called a special session of the Florida Legislature on Tuesday, July 20th – Friday, July 23rd… and we need your help to make the most of this opportunity to protect our coasts and wildlife. At stake are some of the Sunshine State’s most beautiful beaches and some of our most spectacular wildlife – animals like endangered Kemp’s ridley and threatened loggerhead sea turtles, whales, dolphins, giant blue fin tuna and rare shorebirds.

Currently, Florida has a moratorium on drilling our coasts, but that ban could be overturned in any legislative session – which almost happened just last year, putting our coasts and economy at devastating risk. It is now tragically clear that cleanup technologies have not kept pace with drilling techniques, and that endangers Florida’s coast and tourist economy, so I need your help to ensure that our coasts, communities and, especially, our wildlife remain protected from this toxic threat. Please contact your state senators and state representative now and speak out for permanent protection.

For the Wild Ones,

Laurie Macdonald Director,

Florida Program Defenders of Wildlife